De sancto Crisanto >et Daria
The Faith of Crisantus and Daria
Crisantus and Daria remain steadfast in their faith despite imprisonment and attempts to corrupt them.
Crisantus, the son of the illustrious man Polimius, was taught the faith of Christ and could not be turned back to idols by his father, so the father commanded him to be locked in a room with five girls, so that he might be seduced by their flattery. Then Daria, a very prudent virgin dedicated to the goddess Vesta, was asked to visit Crisantus and win him back to the gods and his father. She commanded that he not be harmed, but allowed to come to her. He then quickly ran through the city, shouting that Daria was a goddess. Hunters were sent to capture the lion, but the lion captured them all, placed them at the virgin's feet, and she turned them away. The prefect then ordered a great fire to be set at the entrance of the cell to burn the lion and Daria together. Seeing this, the lion became afraid and roared, asking the virgin for permission to leave without harming anyone. When the prefect inflicted various punishments on Crisantus and Daria without causing them harm, the inviolable couple was finally thrown into a pit and buried under earth and stones. They were consecrated as martyrs to Christ during the time of Bishop Cari of Narbonne, whose term began in 211 AD. Their feast day is celebrated here with special prominence. Crisantus was imprisoned by Numerian's order in the foulest dungeon, but the stench was transformed into the sweetest fragrance.
The Miraculous Protection and Martyrdom
Daria is protected by a lion in her confinement, leading to the conversion of many, before the couple is finally martyred.
Daria was sent to a brothel, but a lion that had escaped from the amphitheater became the brothel's guard. A man was sent to corrupt the virgin, but he was captured by the lion; as if signaling to the saint, he asked what he should do with the captive. She ordered that he shouldn't be harmed, but that he be allowed to come to her. After he converted, he immediately ran through the city proclaiming that Daria was a goddess; hunters were then sent to capture the lion, but they were all captured by the lion, laid at the virgin's feet, and converted by her. The prefect then ordered a large fire to be set at the entrance of the cell to burn both the lion and Daria; seeing this, the lion became afraid and roared, receiving permission from the virgin to leave, harming no one, and go wherever he wished. When the prefect inflicted various tortures upon Crisantus and Daria and they could not be harmed at all, the inviolate couple was finally placed in a pit and buried under earth and stones, being consecrated as martyrs to Christ in the time of Carus, the bishop of Narbonne, who began his term in the year of the Lord 211. Their feast day is celebrated here with greater solemnity.
Read the original Latin
Crisantus filiusPolimii viri illustrissimi, dum fidem Christi edoctus esset et a patre ad ydola revocari non posset, jussit eum pater in conclavi recladiet quinque puellas eidem, ut earum seducatur blanditiis, sociari, Qui cum orasset Deum, ne a fera pessima carnali, scilicet concupiscentia, superaretur, continuo praedictae puellae somno oppressae nec potum nec cibum sumere poterant, sed eductae exterius continuo haec sumebant. Tunc Daria virgo prudentissima Deae Vestae dicata rogatur, ut ad Crisantum introeat et eum Diis et patri restituat. Quae ingressa et a Crisanto de pompa vestium reprehensa respondit, se non propter pompam, sed ut Diis et patri eum lucrifaceret, sic indutam. Gum Crisantus iterum eam reprehenderet, cur pro Diis illos coleret, quos autores ipsorum flagitiosos saepe viros et impudicas feminas affirmarent, respondit Daria, philosophos per nomina hominum elementa sanxisse. Cni Crisantus: si unus terram ut Deam veneretur et alter nt rusticus aret, plus rustico qnam veneranti exhibere probatur, ct de mari et aliis similiter. Tunc Crisantus et Daria ab eo conversa sancti spiritus copula uniti et carnale matrimonium simulantes ad Christum plurimos convertebant. Nam et Claudium tribunum, qui prius ejnstutor fuerat, cum uxore ejus et filiis et pluribus aliis militibus ad fidem converterunt. Crisantus igitur jussu Numeriani in foetidissimum carcerem recluditur, sed foetor in odorem snavissimum commutatur.
Daria autem lupanari traditur, sed leo ab amphitheatro fugiens ostiarius lupanaris efficitur. Mittitur igitur quidam, ut virginem corrumpat, sed à leone capitur et quasi innuens a sancta, quid de captivo fieri jubeat, sciscitatur. Quae praecepit, ne eum laederet, sed ad se venire permitteret. Qui mox conversus per urbem cucurrit et Dariam Deam esse clamare coepit, Mittuntur igitur venatores, ut leonem capiant, sed omnes a leone capiuntur et ante pedes virginis ponuntur et ab ea convertuntur. Tunc praefectus copiosum ignem jussit in introitu cellae mitti, ut leo cum Daria comburatur, Quod leo considerans timuit et rugiens a virgine licentiam accepit, nt nullum laedens, quo vellet, abiret. Cum ergo praefectus Crisanto et Dariae diversa poenarum supplicia irrogaret et nequaquam laedi valerent, tandem inviolati conjuges in foveam deponuntur et terra et lapidibus obruti Christo martires consecrantur,tempore Cari Narbonensis episcopi, qui coepit anno domini CCXI. Horum sollemnitas: hic celebrius recolitur.
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